The Southern California Vipassana Center in Twentynine Palms holds 10-day silent meditation sessions for adults. Phyllis Moss, who is actively involved at the center, will be leading a free, one-day introduction to meditation for children ages 8-15, in Yucca Valley. Reporter Dan Stork spoke with her about the offering…
Z107.7: Phyllis Moss will be conducting a one-day meditation course for children. Phyllis, what will children learn in this course?
PM: In this one-day course, children are taught what is called Anapana meditation, which means, in-breath and out-breath. They learn to observe the breath as it enters the nostrils.
Z107.7: What’s the benefits of this course, for children, in particular?
PM: It’s a foundation for later learning or studying Vipassana meditation. They learn how to calm their minds, they learn to observe their mind, and see what relationship the breath has to the mind. They report that they can learn how to concentrate. Not only are they taught that, but they’re taught what is called the Five Precepts, which is a code of behavior and conduct. They learn that the mind, when it gets out of balance, and expresses anger and so forth. That’s when they behave in ways that they know are not right. There’s a connection there between the morality, so to speak, and the mind—the workings of the mind.
Z107.7: What kind of a kid do you think would be interested in this?
PM: I think that kids who are interested in this are kids that maybe realize that they need a way to calm themselves down at times, and to learn how to withstand the stresses that they have. So I think that a kid who is a thinker. The ages for this course is going to be ages 8 through 15.
Z107.7: How long is the course?
PM: The course is a one-day course. It’s about 30 minutes of meditation instruction, interspersed with art activities and group games. The children are not expected to meditate for a whole day without stop. They get three or four sessions of meditation, with breaks for lunch, snacks, and activities.
Z107.7: So it’s very different from the adult course in that regard.
PM: Yes, it’s different. It’s not done in silence. The kids have the opportunity to practice what they’re learning in the instructions, but also, as the person conducting the course, I will be telling stories, also questioning them, and they will have the opportunity to ask questions.
Z107.7: So it’s interactive.
PM: Yes, it is.
Z107.7: Where will this be held?
PM: This course will be held at the Yucca Valley Center for Spiritual Living. The date is May 16—it’s a Saturday.
Z107.7: Is there any charge for this?
PM: There is no charge. In this tradition, all teaching is offered on a donation-only basis. There’s no charge for this at all. When the children have completed the course, they are welcome to donate, but that’s on a totally voluntary basis.
Z107.7: What’s the deadline for signing up?
PM: So that we can plan, it needs to be done as soon as possible. It needs to be done online, the sooner the better.
Z107.7: A link for signing up for the course will be found with this story at z1077fm.com. Thank you very much, Phyllis.
PM: Thank you!
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